The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and the Heartland Alliance’s Social Impact Research Center paint a picture of households and children struggling with food security in Illinois. The Illinois Hunger Coalition (IHC) is using this recent research to inform and expand its work to #EndHungerNow and end hunger’s underlying causes, especially in light of […]

The Chicago Plan Commission on June 21 approved Cedar Street Commercial’s plan to rehabilitate the former Salvation Army Freedom Center complex, located at 1515 W. Monroe St., as part of its redevelopment of a 3.18 acre plot mostly bounded by west Monroe Street, south Laflin Street, west Adams Street, and south Ashland Avenue. Cedar Street […]

A group of five aldermen led by Christopher Taliaferro (29th Ward) and Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th Ward) at the June 27 City Council meeting introduced the “Our Home, Chicago” legislative package.

By Susan S. Stevens Putting a roof on the Kennedy Expressway north of the Byrne Interchange and making it a green space is the most ambitious plan the Neighbors of West Loop (NoWL) community organization is promoting, though the group’s members have many other ideas. In an extensive neighborhood plan unveiled Aug. 14, the group […]

By Rick Romano A previously deferred proposal to create a revenue forecasting commission designed to give additional financial analysis to the Cook County Board is slated to formally be presented for a vote on Wednesday, Sept. 12 in the Board’s finance committee. So far, the idea has support from several commissioners and at least one […]

By Peter Winslow The Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship (KI) is set to open this coming October for students attending the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech, or IIT).  The new two-story, 70,000 square-foot building is designed by John Ronan Architects and will be the first academic building added to the […]

By Patrick Butler What will the City do to prevent future bicycle crashes like the one that killed Angela Park last month? The 39-year-old mother of two was hit by a Lakeshore Recycling Systems dump truck on Halsted Street near Madison Street on Aug. 9 en route to her job as a fitness trainer and […]

By Eva Hofmann Guy & Sons Auto Rebuilders, formerly at 1050 W. Van Buren St., officially closed its garage doors on Labor Day. A highly respected business in the community, the shop was started in 1962 by the late Guy Pascale. “Mom and Dad moved to Chicago in 1959 from Erie, Pennsylvania,” said Guy’s elder […]

After gathering more than 86,000 signatures supporting a ballot question calling for a two-term limit for Chicago’s mayor, former Governor Pat Quinn and Take Charge Chicago are ready for battle as Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s operatives work to block the referendum from the ballot. On Aug. 6, Take Charge Chicago forces turned in their petition with […]

Notre Dame de Chicago Parish, during its Christmas in July campaign, raised $3,103.70 for a meal program for the homeless in East Garfield Park. “Once again, the generous heart of Notre Dame Parish responds to those in need,” said the Rev. Kevin Hays, pastor of Notre Dame. Along with “being able to buy needed cooking […]

Tiny acorns make mighty oaks, but it turns out that, in the right hands, what comes from lemon seeds and coffee beans can be equally impressive. That was the experience of six-year old Collins Clark, a Dearborn Park area resident, whose summertime lemonade/iced-coffee stand and online presence generated nearly $1,000. Even more telling, every penny […]

The United States Supreme Court on June 27 ruled 5-4 that public sector labor unions cannot charge fees to non-union members, hurting their ability to raise money for their operations and lobbying.